1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inventive lamp holder capable of minimizing lamp wire breakage, an LCD containing the inventive lamp holder, and a method for using the lamp holder to minimize lamp wire breakage and to facilitate connection of a lamp wire to a lamp.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display device (LCD) exhibits electro-optical properties. That is, when a liquid crystal is injected between two transparent electrodes, transmittance of the liquid crystal is changed according to an electric field generated when a predetermined voltage is applied between two transparent electrodes. Accordingly, the LCD displays character, image, and moving picture.
However, although an LCD can adjust the transmittance of the liquid crystal, it cannot generate light by itself. Therefore, an LCD requires a light source enabling a user to recognize data processed by an information processor.
One way of providing light for operating an LCD is to utilize sunlight or light generated from an indoor lamp. An alternative approach is to utilize light generated from an electric energy source stored in the LCD itself. Both approaches have advantages and disadvantages.
Utilization of sunlight or light from an indoor lamp in an LCD can provide the advantage of effective, efficient power consumption. However, reliance on these light sources may preclude the ability of an LCD to display an image in a dark place.
When using light generated from electric energy sources stored in the LCD itself, significant power is consumed, however the LCD can display an image independent of the external environment. Accordingly, light from stored energy sources is widely utilized in most LCDs.
The second approach typically requires a device, such as a backlight unit, for generating light from the stored energy source. The backlight unit includes a lamp, a lamp wire for applying a voltage to the lamp, a lamp holder for holding the lamp connected with the lamp wire, and a lamp reflector for reflecting light radially generated from the lamp in a particular direction.
There is a need in the art for improved lamp holders and methods for preventing lamp wire breakage. Occasionally, the lamp holder is unable to absorb an external force so as to prevent lamp wire breakage, especially after soldering a lamp to the lamp wire in backlight unit. When a lamp wire is broken in a device, such as an LCD, the device cannot display an image, since voltage cannot be applied to the lamp.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a related art lamp holder. The related art lamp holder 200 includes a lamp holder body 230 with a hexahedron shape and lamp wire fixing parts 210 and 250.
The lamp holder body 230 fixes a lamp providing light to an LCD and a lamp wire connected to a lamp electrode. The lamp wire fixing parts 210 and 250 are lamp wire fixing tubes, each tube protruding with a predetermined height from an opening defined on a first surface 211. Each of the lamp wire fixing parts 210 and 250 has an inside diameter appropriately sized to accommodate the outside diameter of the lamp wire.
When an external force is applied to the lamp wire, for the purpose of fixing the lamp wire or moving the lamp wire within a lamp holder, the lamp wire fixing parts 210 and 250 may absorb stress at the boundary between the lamp holder body 230 and the lamp wire fixing parts 210 and 250 so as to prevent the lamp wire from breaking. However, a space is needed to facilitate fixing of the lamp wire and the lamp inside the lamp holder body 230.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the lamp holder shown in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2, a coupling hole 220 inside the lamp holder body 230 is formed between a first surface or side 211 of the lamp holder body 230 and a second surface or side 215 adjacent to the first surface 211.
Here, the first surface 211 is a top surface of the lamp holder body 230 and the second surface 215 is a side surface of the lamp holder body 230. Accordingly, the coupling hole 220 has an L-shape and passes through the lamp holder body 230.
Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5, the coupling hole 220 has two openings 220a and 220b. A lamp 400 is inserted through the opening 220a formed on the second surface 215 (FIG. 4–5) and a lamp wire 300 is inserted through the opening 220b formed on the first surface 211 (FIG. 3–5).
Referring to FIG. 3, the lamp wire 300 is inserted into the opening 220b through the lamp wire fixing parts 210 and 250 disposed on the first surface 211 of the lamp holder body 230. Referring to FIG. 4, the lamp wire 300 passes through the opening 220a in the second surface 215 of the lamp holder body 230 and is soldered to a lamp 400 disposed outside the lamp holder 200.
Referring now to FIG. 5, the lamp wire 300 extending from the lamp wire fixing parts 210 and 250 is pulled to position the soldered portion inside the lamp holder body 230. When pulling the lamp wire 300, however, the lamp wire may be disconnected from the soldered portion. Moreover, a strong external force may damage the lamp itself.